A very well known tractor collector passed away back in February. I'd see him at just about every show I'd attend as he lived only about an hours drive away from where I live. Today his family had an open house / memorial show, in his honor. Having been to his place before, I knew today's viewing would be spectacular.

This guy went all over the US in search of the unique. He didn't have much interest in an H Farmall or a John Deere B because they were too common. As you will see he had both garden tractors and farm tractors.

This was all owned by one man, Bob and his wife. His wife was very supportive of his collection and in fact helped in purchasing items often. Sometimes when Bob would bow out of the bidding on a tractor at auction his wife would jump in and make the purchase. Bobs wife knew he'd regret not making the purchase later.

He was quite a guy and I'm glad I got to know him. Many times over the years his wife would come looking for me at a show and say "Bobs ready to leave" This was an unspoken plea for assistance in loading and securing show tractors onto his trailers. He was kind of picky as to who could handle his prized possessions. When you see the pictures you'll understand why.

His family has committed to continue to show some of his collection at the local shows at least for now. Some of the unrestored tractors will likely be sold in the not too distant future.

There are several pictures. Try not to drool on your keyboard.

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How 'bout a row of garden tractors?

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This is basically a prototype Avery named a "Bradley" I shot it at this angle so as to show off the PTO shaft. No lose fitting britches here!!!!! Look closely at the solid steel plate under the differential. That plate was 1/2 inch thick, maybe 5 feet long, and 2 feet wide. There were two plates like that for ballast. The tractor had no gear reduction drop boxes for final drives. Just odd all around.

Row of crawlers. The Deere is a 1/3 scale homebuilt. Its absolutely stunning! I remember the auction where Bob bought this. It was before I got to know Bob. In some of the pics you may also see a Mayrath Deluxe. I think the Mayrath came from the same auction back in 1998.

Some of the pedals. Bob had these custom made as Ertl and Eska didn't make those models back in the day. Bob sent his David Bradley Tri-Trac to a custom builder to have a pedal made of it but I don't know if that project was ever completed.

Here are some walk behinds. Bob came up with the DB Rotostick snow blower head somewhere. I had my Rotostick on display at a show and a mutual friend [Ed] inquired about it. He said Bob had the blower but didn't couldn't find a powerhead. I told the Ed that I had an extra and I'd donate it to the cause. When I came back to the show the next day I slipped the David Bradley Rotostick in Bobs pickup and never said a word. I don't know if Bob ever found out where the Rotostick came from.

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The last pic is the only other walk behind, a Standard Twin. This pic also shows how tightly these tractors are packed in the shed when they are stored away.

A Gibson SD-2 This very well could be my favorite of the entire collection. I like all Gibsons with hoods and this one has the 2 cylinder Wisconsin - which I'm a big fan of.

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A Field Marshall. The family started this one a few times for the crowd. For those of you that are unfamiliar, it takes a shotgun shell with a specific load of gunpowder AND SHOT to start these. You put the shotgun shell in a mount made to hold it securely and whack it with a hammer. POW! and its running! Being a high compression diesel there is no way a man could hand crank the engine.

Kris, In the second picture in the first batch there is a little unpainted tractor on the left. Any idea what it is?

Avery "V" with car doughnut spare tires on the front.

In the pic of the Field Marshall you can get a different view of the Avery. Its above the FM's hood behind the woman in the striped shirt. Something is odd about that tractor that I didn't notice at the time. The hood looks too high for some reason.

Bob always had people restoring tractors for him. He asked me many times to do some restorations or at least be his painter. I told him I had just about as many to fix up as he did and it didn't make much sense to be restoring someone else's.

Here are some of the unrestored tractors.

A Case V. These are rare. Only made a few years just before WW-II

A Silver King and Moline R industrial

A Bungartz vineyard that didn't get outside but at least was unburried for the event. Thieman kit tractor behind that. Those were usually Ford Model A drivetrain.

Here is a Massey Harris 4 wheel drive that was the first tractor Bob fixed up. He started collecting in 1981 so I guess it was around then. The yellow tractor behind is a Topeka highway mower, the last one restored. The Topeka was finished in Janruary of this year. Bob passed in early February so this picture represents the beginning and the end.

Another early 4 wheel drive and an unrestored McCormick O-12 orchard tractor.

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Took this pic because I liked the wicked looking lugs on the wheels. Imagine this D spinning out while pulling a plow. I think not!

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An Alligator crawler made in St. Louis and another shot of the Field Marshall

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That concludes this show folks. Those of you close enough to attend the Lathrop Antique show,

http://www.lathropantique.com/ just north of Kansas City have for many years witnessed some of Bobs collection. Bob and his wife also donated the train engine to the show grounds there. He made this donation although I know he had a guy begging him to "name his price" on the engine. I'm sure there are other donations I'm not aware of. Bob always made an effort to bring something to display at the local shows - usually a feature tractor or two on one load and his daughter/son-N-law with another load in tow with something unusual that was always a treat to see.